(1) LIMITATION OF ALTERATIONS OR MODIFICATIONS.—No alteration or modification shall be made to a mobile home or recreational vehicle by a licensed dealer after shipment from the manufacturer’s plant unless such alteration or modification is authorized in this section.

(2) EFFECT ON MOBILE HOME WARRANTY.—Unless an alteration or modification is performed by a qualified person as defined in subsection (4), the warranty responsibility of the manufacturer as to the altered or modified item shall be void.

(a) An alteration or modification performed by a mobile home or recreational vehicle dealer or his or her agent or employee shall place warranty responsibility for the altered or modified item upon the dealer. If the manufacturer fulfills, or is required to fulfill, the warranty on the altered or modified item, he or she shall be entitled to recover damages in the amount of his or her costs and attorneys’ fees from the dealer.

(b) An alteration or modification performed by a mobile home or recreational vehicle owner or his or her agent shall render the manufacturer’s warranty as to that item void. A statement shall be displayed clearly and conspicuously on the face of the warranty that the warranty is void as to the altered or modified item if the alteration or modification is performed by other than a qualified person. Failure to display such statement shall result in warranty responsibility on the manufacturer.

(3) AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT.—The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to chapter 120 which define the alterations or modifications which must be made by qualified personnel. The department may regulate only those alterations and modifications which substantially impair the structural integrity or safety of the mobile home.

(4) DESIGNATION AS A QUALIFIED PERSON.—

(a) In order to be designated as a person qualified to alter or modify a mobile home or recreational vehicle, a person must comply with local or county licensing or competency requirements in skills relevant to performing alterations or modifications on mobile homes or recreational vehicles.

(b) When no local or county licensing or competency requirements exist, the department may certify persons to perform mobile home alterations or modifications. The department shall by rule or regulation determine what skills and competency requirements are requisite to the issuance of a certification. A fee sufficient to cover the costs of issuing certifications may be charged by the department. The certification shall be valid for a period which terminates when the county or other local governmental unit enacts relevant competency or licensing requirements. The certification shall be valid only in counties or localities without licensing or competency requirements.

(c) The department shall determine which counties and localities have licensing or competency requirements adequate to eliminate the requirement of certification. This determination shall be based on a review of the relevant county or local standards for adequacy in regulating persons who perform alterations or modifications to mobile homes. The department shall find local or county standards adequate when minimal licensing or competency standards are provided.

History.—s. 4, ch. 74-169; s. 38, ch. 77-357; s. 2, ch. 81-318; ss. 19, 20, ch. 88-147; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 378, ch. 95-148.